1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shift lever apparatus of a vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Patent Publication HEI 11-227484 discloses a sequential type shift lever apparatus including a first shift lever path in which P, R, N and D (Parking, Reverse, Neutral and Drive) positions are arranged in a zigzag manner and a second shift lever path in which M (Manual), + and − positions are provided.
The shift lever apparatus includes a base member and a shift lever which is movable relative to the base member. The shift apparatus further includes a gate member having the shift lever paths through which the shift lever extends. The gate member regulates a pattern of movement of the shift lever to a pattern of the shift lever paths. The shift lever is rotatable about a first rotational axis relative to the base member in a shift direction and is rotatable about a second rotational axis relative to the base member in a select direction perpendicular to the shift direction. Since the shift lever rotates in the shift direction and the select direction, when shifted, an inclination of the shift lever changes and a shift knob provided at an upper end of the shift lever moves in an arc both in the shift direction and the select direction.
The above-described shift lever apparatus has the following problems:
As illustrated in FIG. 5 illustrating a portion of a shift lever apparatus of comparison for explanation of the problems of the above-described shift lever apparatus, since the shift lever 3 rotates, an operational feeling of the shift lever is not good compared with a parallelly shiftable shift level
Further, since the shift lever 3 rotates about the second rotational axis P in the select direction, when the movement amount of the shift knob in the select direction is set to a relatively small amount (L1) for obtaining a good operational feeling of the shift knob, a portion of the gate member 2a located between a first path portion 1a and a second path portion 1b of the shift path (an intermediate wall 2b) is reduced in width to a width L2 to prevent the intermediate member from interfering with the shift lever which inclines during rotation. As a result, it is difficult to obtain a sufficient strength of the intermediate wall 2b. 
For decreasing the inclination of the shift lever in the rotational movement of the shift lever about the rotational axis, it will be effective to lower the rotational axis of the shift lever. However, such lowering of the rotational axis will increase a size of the shift lever apparatus in a vertical direction, which makes difficult mounting of the shift lever apparatus to a vehicle.